Metro hopes to expand rail Thursday

Snow covers trains at the West Falls Church rail yard. WMATA photograph

Metro may resume service at some above-ground rail stations Thursday, Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.

"With any luck today we may be able to open some above-ground stations," phasing in service as tracks are cleared, she said. Final word on rail service for Friday's commute will not likely come until early Friday
morning, she said.

Metrorail cars, more than 500 of which were stored in tunnels, during Wednesday's storm, are "ready to go," Farbstein said. "That is the good news."

The question is how long it will take to clear snow and ice from segments of track as well as from switches critical to allowing trains to maneuver. Major problems remain between Twinbrook and Shady Grove on the
Red Line, she said, and in some rail yards.

"We still have several rail yards that are under a significant amount of snow," including Shady Grove and West Falls Church, Farbstein said.

-- Ann Scott Tyson